I am wondering what the general consensus of
this forum is in reference to the Schavio
case.

1. Are the rights of Mrs. Schavio being violated?

2. Who's word should take precedence?

3. How do we determine the most accurate
vision of the entire situation?

4. What are the proper roles of parents vs.
that of a spouse in this situation?

5. Is it morally right for our government to become so involved in this case?


It seems to me that this case has become a political football at Terri's expense.

I'd like to hear other comments about the matter.....especially since Terri's parents seem
to be using their Catholicism as an excuse for their position.

What is morally right in this situation? For Terri? For her spouse? For her parents? For her Catholicism?

Thank you.

It seems to me that this case has become a political football at Terri's expense.

I think you said it, SN. Part of this very process is figuring out what "Terri's expense" is. Is she being preyed on at her expense or detriment if the feeding tube is removed and she is allowed to die, or is she being preyed on if she is kept artificially alive?

5. Is it morally right for our government to become so involved in this case?

The ability of medical science has brought a whole lot of benefits to us�and also a whole lot of problems. Although a feeding tube might not be so high-tech, there's little doubt that Terri would have died a natural death years ago without such technology. At some point we simply must allow people to die even though there will no doubt be some device in the future that can keep even the most hopeless cases alive. I think Terri's case is definitely straddling that line of keeping someone alive on machines far past appropriateness. I think a very good case can be made for keeping this strictly a family decision. In this case the husband's rights trump the parents, even if his motives aren't so pure. Of course, Terri's rights trump every other consideration, including (and especially) the state's. Trying to figure out what she wants, of course, is the problem or there would be no problem to begin with. There are no doubt plenty of ideologues on both sides trying to make political points out of this, but the overwhelming majority of people who are trying to deal with an inherently difficult situation shouldn't be tarred with the same brush.

It's no easy matter finding all the right tough questions to ask, but I think you found most of them.